Waste water contamination is an important issue, especially in hospital, dental, home care and other settings where pharmaceutical waste is commonly discarded. Healthcare workers or patients often dispose of pharmaceutical waste incorrectly, often unintentionally, which can lead to contaminated waste water. For example, items that contain toxic chemicals are routinely poured down sinks or flushed down toilets. Since most waste water treatment facilities do not specifically treat for these chemicals, this can lead to problems of pollution if pharmaceutical waste makes its way into public water supplies.
The EPA has identified 1,500 publicly owned treatment works (“POTWs”) that are required to have a pretreatment program, and another 13,500 facilities that are not required to have a pretreatment program. Given the breadth of potential contaminants, the EPA focuses on the following waste materials: mercury, primarily from dental facilities, but also from some medical equipment devices; and unused pharmaceuticals. Unused pharmaceuticals include animal and human drugs such as wasted pills, excess liquid formulations (injectables and swallowed) and spilled biohazards. Current best management practices include incineration or disposal of the pharmaceutical waste in a solid-waste landfill. However, most pharmaceutical waste is still disposed by being poured down a sink.
Common pharmaceuticals that are considered “hazardous wastes” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) include epinephrine, nitroglycerin, warfarin, nicotine, and many chemotherapy agents. These pharmaceutical waste items are subject to unique and expensive disposal requirements, since the EPA regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of any pharmaceutical waste defined as hazardous waste by RCRA.